Rebirth
by Emmeebee
Summary: Padmé has never been one to run from danger, but it's different when it's her children at stake. A rewrite of the ending of Revenge of the Sith.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This was written for Rough Trade's The Reel End challenge in July. Warnings: major character death, canon-typical violence, postnatal depression

* * *

Staring into the eyes of the man who had once been like a brother to him, Obi-Wan saw no sign of his former self. Determination had turned to hardness and rebelliousness to hatred, and they held a cruelty they never had before.

How had Anakin fallen so far without him noticing? How had he never realised his padawan was capable of such viciousness?

No Jedi was a stranger to killing, but this would be by far the hardest life he'd ever had to take.

Anakin leapt, flipping over his head in a move Obi-Wan himself had taught him.

Obi-Wan swung his lightsaber through the air.

The plasma blade cut through its target with an ease that felt at odds with the ache in his heart. There were two thuds in quick succession as first Anakin's torso and then his legs hit the ground.

The noise was horrific.

Revulsion rose up within Obi-Wan like bile. He glanced at Anakin only long enough to confirm that his wounds would be fatal.

'Finish it,' Anakin said, the words slow and heavy with pain. 'Don't draw it out.'

Obi-Wan adjusted his grip on his lightsaber. It was one thing to strike Anakin down in the middle of a fight, filled with righteous fervour; it was another to end his life in cold blood as he lay, defeated, on the ground. But what kind of monster would he have to be to leave Anakin there to die alone and in agony?

Desperation flashed in Anakin's eyes, and when he spoke, his voice was harsh and goading. 'Padmé chose me. No matter what you felt for her, and no matter how much you made her waver, in the end, she chose me.'

Even now, Anakin's view of reality was warped. What lies had been told to him to make him think this way? 'There was never anything between Padmé and me. Anything you saw or thought you saw was all in your head.'

'I kept her secret from you. If our marriage had come out, the Jedi Council would have blamed you too, not believing you didn't know. I did it anyway; _I didn't care.'_

'I'm sorry,' Obi-Wan said, ignoring Anakin's obvious attempts at enraging him into action. 'What could I have done to save you?'

Anakin fell silent. Whether it was because he had no answer or because he wanted to punish Obi-Wan by denying it to him, Obi-Wan didn't know, and he doubted he ever would.

Obi-Wan sighed. 'I'm sorry,' he said again, walking towards his fallen friend and raising his lightsaber.

'Wait.' Anakin sucked in a rasping breath. 'Look after Padmé and the child. Tell her I love them… Tell her I'm sorry.'

'I will.' Holding his gaze, Obi-Wan lined up his lightsaber with Anakin's heart and, as swiftly as he could, drove it down.

It was instantaneous.

Deactivating the weapon, Obi-Wan sank to the ground, overcome. He'd known when he went after Anakin that only one of them would make it back alive, and after that first strike, ending it quickly had been the right thing to do. But knowing that did nothing for the weight in his chest.

He could have stayed there for hours and still felt it was too soon to leave, but he knew he had to move. Padmé would be waiting for news, and the blazing heat coming from the lava couldn't be good for the baby.

Wiping tears from his eyes, he rose to his feet and picked up the pieces of Anakin's corpse. The Council would never permit giving him a proper Jedi funeral pyre, but Obi-Wan could bury him, at least.

The walk back to the starship felt longer than it had the first time around.

What would this mean for the future of the galaxy?

Anakin was the Chosen One, destined to destroy the Sith and restore balance to the Force. But now he was gone, and the hope of peace had died with him. Anakin had been a prodigy, powerful and self-sacrificing, if more than a little arrogant and too attached to his emotions.

In the thirteen short years since Anakin had joined the Jedi Order, he had done and achieved much. But Obi-Wan couldn't say he had made a large enough dent in the Sith ranks to have fulfilled the prophecy.

As Obi-Wan caught sight of the ship in the distance, no doubt containing an anxious Padmé, he was hit with an alternative: What if Anakin _wasn't _the Chosen One after all? What if the prophecy referred not to Anakin, but to the child Padmé carried?

The Jedi Council had been wrong before. Anakin was not the first padawan they had considered for the role over the years, only the one who was the strongest contender for the title. What if Anakin's role was merely to bring about the birth of the _real _Chosen One?

A child with Anakin's skill and courage and Padmé's political savvy and compassion would be a force to be reckoned with.

There was another possibility. What if Anakin _had _fulfilled the prophecy after all?

Yoda and, by extension, Obi-Wan had deduced that "balance" meant "peace", for that was one of the key principles of the Jedi way: If one kept their emotions and desires moderate, they would be at peace; if they did not, they would face endless strife.

But what if "balance" meant literally that – evenness? What if Anakin's destiny hadn't been to defeat the Sith, but rather to undermine the forces of the Jedi and propel them further into the endless cycle of struggle and war, with neither side ever able to defeat the other?

The implications were so grave that Obi-Wan did not want to entertain the idea.

In any case, one thing was clear: he had to protect Padmé and her offspring. Whether the baby was the Chosen One or the Chosen One's progeny, they would be strong in the Force, which would make them an obvious target for Palpatine.

Obi-Wan couldn't let that happen. Even ignoring his final promise to Anakin, a child as talented as Anakin but trained by the Sith from the first would be disastrous.

Fortunately, Padmé and Anakin had kept their relationship secret; nobody but Padmé, Obi-Wan, and probably Palpatine knew they were married. Obi-Wan and Padmé could use that to their advantage.

A plan began to form in his mind.

Cresting the hill, Obi-Wan glanced around. Padmé was no longer outside; that was a relief. The ship's temperature was regulated, so she wouldn't feel the heat as much inside. Besides, it would be easier for her if he prepared her in advance for the sight of Anakin's body.

'Padmé?' he called out as he stepped inside and closed the boarding ramp. He started to make his way to the storage freezer many ships carried in case of an event such as this. It was able to preserve bodies until the ship could reach its destination.

As he left the room, the ramp clicked shut.

'I have taken one of the escape pods,' Padmé's voice said from behind him.

He whirled around in shock. Before him, Padmé's image, blue and lined with static, was sitting in the middle of the room.

'Padmé, I am so sorry. I – '

'When I regained consciousness,' she continued, cutting him off, 'I felt the faint stirrings of contractions. It may be false labour – it's still a few weeks until the child is due – but I felt the strongest conviction that I had to leave – to act.'

Her gaze was fixed on some point to Obi-Wan's left, and he realised it was not a current communication but a holovid, most likely set to play as soon as somebody entered. He did not blame her if she did not want to hear of the outcome of the battle while she was flying on her own.

His stomach dropped. Padmé would be out there, alone and unaware of the extent of the danger she was in.

Cursed obstinance; she had always been too headstrong for her own good.

'I can't trust that the fight will… be resolved in time for me to get somewhere safe to give birth, so I am heading to the asteroid field of Polis Massa as I speak. I hope that' – her voice went flat, all emotion seeping from it – 'whoever hears this message will meet me there. Go to the centre of town and tell the woman selling bread that you seek a safe place, and she will give you directions. I will be going under the name of Corina.'

Obi-Wan thought he saw the hint of a tear in her eyes as she reached forward and the holovid flickered out with a soft buzz.

After taking Anakin's body to the storage area, he hurried to the cockpit and started the engine. Pulling out of the atmosphere, he accessed the communicator and sent a connection request through to Yoda.

A miniature version of the Jedi Master rose up out of a holo-pad on the dashboard, sporting a troubled expression.

Yoda didn't even wait for him to speak. 'A disturbance in the Force, there was. Share grave tidings, I fear you must.'

Quickly, not wanting to linger on the details, Obi-Wan informed Yoda of the key things that had happened on Mustafar and the situation he now found himself in.

'We failed him,' he concluded.

'No. Fail himself, he did,' Yoda replied.

Obi-Wan suspected it was a little of both, but everything felt too raw for him to argue the point. Later, perhaps, when he had his emotions under control, they could discuss it rationally.

He doubted it.

Besides, the kindest thing he could do for Anakin at that moment wasn't to debate culpability; it was to prepare for what would come next.

'I have a plan,' he said, 'but I require leave from the Council.'

-x-

Staring up at the ceiling of her birthing room at the secret medical clinic, Padmé tried to blink the tears out of her eyes. Every muscle in her body was exhausted, and she felt lost and adrift. The only sound was the steady beeping of the heart rate monitor and the chatter from beyond the door.

The labour had lasted longer than she'd thought possible and then continued even longer still. When the child came out – a boy – a healer had spirited him away for observation while the other started to clean her.

But she had known from the stirring in her womb that it was not over yet. By the time the second child had arrived – this one a girl – Padmé had felt like she was at the end of her strength. The girl was taken away with even more haste than the boy.

Nobody had said anything to her directly, but it was clear the healers were afraid for her children's health. She didn't have enough experience with newborns to know how they were _supposed _to look, but they had both seemed so very small and frail.

Twins. How had her usual healer never realised she was having twins?

Since then, a healer had been by to tell her they were both breathing normally but needed to remain under constant observation.

She let out a slow breath. If she had arrived any later…

The contractions been false labour after all; fortunately, since she would never have reached the clinic in time otherwise. The journey had taken the better part of two days, and she had gone into labour in earnest near nightfall on the second, when she was just two hours out from the asteroid field.

Now, however, she couldn't even muster up the energy to consider her next steps.

There was a knock at the door, and a healer entered the room with a cautious smile. 'A man has arrived asking for you. He said he's the baby's father. Do you want us to bring him in? We haven't confirmed or denied your presence here.'

Hope swelled in her chest, although that ever-present weariness still lingered. 'Yes! Yes, bring him in.'

The healer disappeared, leaving Padmé with her racing thoughts. It was hard to believe, but somehow, Obi-Wan must have managed to get through to Anakin. Or perhaps he'd subdued him, only for them discover her message when they returned to the ship…

Or maybe Obi-Wan had been defeated.

That was a sobering thought. As much as she wanted Anakin to survive, it was vital that he not be allowed to continue as he was.

'In here,' the healer's voice said through the door.

Her fist tightened around the top sheet of her bed.

A sole figure entered the room. Sober, dressed in white – Obi-Wan. 'Thank you,' he said, looking over his shoulder. 'We'll be right from here.'

Her heart fell as he closed the door. 'They said the father…'

'Not here.' His gaze scanned the room. 'It may not be safe to talk. Are you well? And the baby?'

'Yes.' Pressing her palms against the mattress, she raised herself into a sitting position, gritting her teeth at the pain that shot through her at the movement. 'Can you fix the pillows?'

Once he'd adjusted them to support her back, she gestured for him to sit next to her atop the bed. Such proximity felt odd, but she brushed it aside, as she had many uncomfortable situations over the years.

'I thought they might have a family-only policy,' he whispered, tilting his head towards her so his mouth was hidden.

They didn't, but she nodded her understanding anyway. 'And An– is _he_…?'

'I'm sorry.'

Padmé sucked in a quick breath. Deep down, she had always known only one of them was coming back alive, even if she had tried to fool herself into thinking otherwise. But there was a world of difference between knowing and _knowing_. 'Was it painless?'

Obi-Wan hesitated. 'No good man's death ever truly is. There is always someone left behind to grieve.'

Tears leapt to her eyes as she read between the lines of his answer. Her husband had died in pain and without her. Her children were, while stable, far from being considered healthy. The man sitting beside her was the one who, justified or not, had murdered her husband.

And she wouldn't be able to mourn in public since nobody even knew whom she'd married.

She wiped her eyes and tipped her head back to keep any new tears from falling.

Even now, someone could be watching them. It was unlikely; designed for people who were fleeing abusive partners, controlling parents, or political scandals, this string of underground medical clinics valued privacy above most else. But unlikely didn't mean impossible, so it wouldn't do to appear conspicuous.

That was fine. Padmé was used to being watched – to having to hide her political plans, her love, herself. She could handle hiding her grief now, too.

'We need to unseat Palpatine,' she said so quietly the sounds were more the imitation of words than actual words, 'or his reach will only grow further and become even harder to unroot.'

Obi-Wan nodded. 'It must be done, but not right now – not by us. He will be after your child – _his _child, and we can't let him succeed. You have to flee.'

'Children,' she replied absently. The idea of running away and leaving the fight to someone else disgusted her; she had always been one to fight her own battles. But he was right; it was different now she had the twins. She had to think about them as well.

And she was so, so weary.

His face brightened for the first time since he'd entered the room. 'Children? You had twins? Did you know?'

'A boy and a girl. And no, we didn't.' Padmé paused. 'Where would I take them?' she asked, thinking aloud.

'We. I'm going with you.'

His words were a relief, but she knew it wasn't as simple as that. 'You can't. What about your duty?'

'I have Yoda's approval already. He agreed that it is in the galaxy's best interests for your child – _children _– to grow up safe and in good hands.'

Thinking quickly, she nodded. 'Then I have somewhere in mind.'

'We should leave as soon as we can. The longer we linger, the more likely it is that _he _will find us. Did you bring anything in with you?'

'Not tonight. The children are still under surveillance; we can't take them yet. Besides, we'll be safe here for one night. It's well-defended, and the healers are contractually bound to refuse to confirm any patient's presence without their express approval. Even if he realises we needed a hospital, out of all the places we could have gone, it will take him a while to realise which one.'

'I don't like it,' Obi-Wan said, but he didn't argue any further. Instead, he gave a small start and asked, 'Have you named them yet? The children?'

'Not yet.' Padmé and Anakin had chosen the name Mari for a girl and Tiaan for a boy, but she wouldn't be able to use them now. What if he had mentioned them to Palpatine?

Thinking back, she remembered two names she'd briefly considered early on but had never gotten around to mentioning to Anakin. 'Luke and Leia. On Naboo, "Luke" means "light" and "Leia" means "meadow".'

It felt appropriate. "Light" for the light side, the path she hoped they would choose to stay on all their lives – a warning derived from their father's worst mistakes and longest fall. And "meadow" for the secret mountain meadow where she had first started falling in love with Anakin – a tribute to the man he once was.


	2. Chapter 2

Asteroids of various sizes could be seen splayed across the black and purple sky, but Obi-Wan paid them little mind. His nerves were on edge. It was seven days after Padmé had given birth, and the twins were still under strict constant observation.

In the last few days, Obi-Wan's understanding of neonatal issues had increased tenfold. Although the twins had recovered from their initial issues, having been born early had left them vulnerable to other problems. Leia had developed an infection, and while it had been cured, the healers had strongly advised Padmé to stay at the clinic for another week in case there were any further complications.

But they couldn't remain indefinitely. Palpatine had sent out an intergalactic alert claiming that Padmé had been abducted and offering a reward for anyone who offered information leading to her "safe return". It was especially important that she was located soon, he'd insisted, since she was pregnant and might require urgent medical attention.

Nobody at the clinic had connected the missive to Padmé yet, and Padmé was adamant that even if they did, their vows would prohibit them from betraying any of their patients.

But neither of them wanted to risk it. They were too vulnerable there; with the twins in one wing, Padmé in another, and Obi-Wan only allowed to visit either wing for a limited number of hours each day, it would take too long to escape if their location was discovered.

Nevertheless, it was undeniable that the twins needed to stay under observation, and they had neither the experience nor the equipment to monitor them themselves.

It was that knowledge that had driven Obi-Wan back out to the wider city to hire a healer to accompany them on the next leg of their journey. After asking the healers at the clinic for recommendations, he had been directed to a travelling midwife with a reputation for a strong sense of confidentiality and medical skill.

'How long will it take you to pack what you need?' Obi-Wan asked Erisi Mollek as he watched her across the kitchen table.

She was a tall woman with dark skin, cropped-short hair, and intelligent eyes. She'd answered all his questions convincingly, and if it hadn't been for his concern about bringing someone else into the mix, he would have quite liked her.

'A few hours. I can be ready to leave by midday.'

-x-

Padmé set her stylus aside and rose to her feet, searching for the voice disguiser Obi-Wan had bought the day before. After he'd left that morning, she'd fed the twins before setting into motion the other half of their plan.

While they knew they needed a midwife to travel off-world with them, they couldn't bring themselves to trust a stranger around the children long-term. Instead, they intended to only travel with her as far as Eriadu, both using fake names.

They would then meet up with Kalei, a woman who had been one of Padmé's decoys when she was queen. After leaving her service, Kalei had moved back to her home world and become a healer, so she felt like the natural choice.

Padmé had sent an encrypted coded voice message to Kalei, keeping it as minimalistic as possible. While she was confident in the infallibility of both the code and the voice disguiser, there was no need to risk it. She had simply said that she was fleeing extreme danger and needed a healer on hand for when the baby came.

Kalei, as loyal and devoted as ever, had quickly replied saying that she was glad to hear the news of her pregnancy and that she would love to help however she could.

The only thing that was left to do was to confirm their meeting time and location.

Having put the new message through the code she and her decoys had used while she was queen, she turned on the communicator and read it aloud, letting the voice disguiser distort her words.

She had just sent the recording to Kalei when there was a knock at the door. 'Just a minute!' she called out.

Her pulse pounding, she gathered all the items together and shoved them behind the heart rate monitor in the corner. Glancing around the room to make sure nothing was out of place, she let out a slow breath. 'Come in.'

To her relief, it was Obi-Wan who entered the room, not one of the healers.

'How did it go?' she asked.

'Everything's ready. What about your messages?'

'They reached her.'

'And you're sure about this woman?'

'I trust her with my life.' It wasn't the first time Obi-Wan had asked her about Kalei, but she wasn't offended. If it had been his friend they were relying on, she would have been just as cautious.

A misstep could have disastrous consequences.

Their hope was that Palpatine would assume she would try to return to Naboo or Tatooine, seeking comfort from the familiar. It wouldn't be an unfair supposition; if it weren't for the danger, she wouldhave done exactly that. Not only would it have been a balm for her, but it seemed like the perfect place for Anakin's funeral.

Obi-Wan had told her Anakin's body was in the preserver on the ship. He wouldn't be able to have a proper Jedi funeral pyre, both due to his actions and Padmé being on the run, but she wanted to give him something. He would have loved his funeral to take place on Naboo or Tatooine, planets that had meant so much both to them as a couple and to him individually.

Nor could she have imagined a better place for Luke and Leia to grow up.

But it would have been too obvious.

Instead, they had chosen to set up an elaborate wild bantha chase for anybody who was trying to follow them.

-x-

Obi-Wan and Padmé stepped out into the front foyer of the medical clinic, the twins resting securely in carrying capsules.

'I've already told you it's not necessary,' Padmé insisted, her voice louder than would be considered appropriate for normal conversation.

He handed her the capsule he was carrying. 'Let me handle this, dear.'

Rolling her eyes, she huffed and turned to face the educational posters that hung on the wall.

Apparently, her political acumen did not translate to her being a good actress.

Ignoring her overacting, Obi-Wan walked over to the reception desk, which was hidden behind a protective transparisteel screen. He wouldn't have been able to see it if he hadn't known what to look for.

A woman with purple skin and curly orange hair looked up at his approach. A plaque on the desk in front of her said that her name was Tiffia. 'How may I be of assistance today?'

'Corina believes this is unnecessary,' he said, nodding his head towards Padmé, who should be doing her best to appear like she was steadfastly trying to ignore them, 'but I must insist that nobody can know that she was here.'

Recognition flashed in Tiffia's eyes, and a reassuring smile spread across her face. 'This clinic is a safe place for anyone who needs it, and our policy is to never give out information about our patients. I appreciate your concern, but Corina is correct; it is unnecessary.'

'You have no idea how glad I am to hear that.' Lowering his voice, he continued: 'You see, Corina was already married when we… "met". I'm not proud of it, but her husband had been away for many turns of their moons. When he returned and realised she was pregnant, he tried to kill us both in a fit of rage. Corina killed him in self-defence, and it nearly broke her.'

The lie left a sick taste in his mouth. Pretending they'd broken not only his vows but Padmé's disgusted him, and it felt like he was dishonouring Anakin, even in memory. But he had to push forward.

'As I said, sir – '

'I plan to do the right thing by her,' he said. 'Once enough time has passed, we are going to get married… but it would be dangerous for her if anyone knew the children are mine.'

Her smile turned wooden. 'As I said, sir, we keep secrets for everybody. That will not be a problem at all.'

'You don't know how much of a relief it is to hear that.' He raised his eyebrows. 'Of course, that means Corina was right… She'll never let me hear the end of it.'

With a short laugh, he turned and strolled back to Padmé. Taking one of the capsules back from her, he looped his other arm around her shoulders in a display that he could only hope looked more natural than it felt – not that that would be much of a feat.

Their cover story wasn't flattering for either of them, but they'd agreed it was necessary. While their preference was for Palpatine not to be able to track them at all, his reach was enormous. Even the clinic would be hard-pressed to deny a direct order for information backed by the weight of the Supreme Chancellor's army.

If something was going to get back to him, they wanted it to be that the children weren't Anakin's; Palpatine would still be interested in them, but not to the same extent.

Yoda was aiding with this deception by spreading the lie among the Jedi Order, as well as sending messages from Padmé to a few of her friends from the Senate, claiming that she was eloping.

Both of their reputations would be tarnished, of course. Obi-Wan hated knowing that his friends would see him as an oath-breaker and adulterer. But if it allowed them to protect Luke and Leia, the shame would be worth it.

Maybe one day, after Palpatine had fallen and the galaxy was at peace once more, they would be able to come out with the truth.

Once they were out of sight of the clinic, Obi-Wan dropped his arm from Padmé's shoulder. Her body eased at its removal.

They wound their way through the cobbled streets and towards the landing yard, doing their best to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

The ship Padmé had flown to Mustafar was too conspicuous going forward – it reeked of money and the Inner Rim, and it would be too easy for Palpatine to track. Instead, Obi-Wan had exchanged it for a new one – although "new" was misleading. While it had everything they needed, it was several models out of date and its exterior was in dire need of a thorough clean.

It was the kind of vessel that wouldn't catch the interest of someone searching for a senator and retired queen.

Padmé didn't even baulk at the sight.

-x-

'I'm glad to finally leave this place.' Erisi stared out a one-way window as they wove through the asteroids, each one larger than their ship. 'I arrived with a young couple a few months ago and haven't been about to find a paying flight off since.'

'Mm,' Padmé replied absently as she cradled Luke in her arms, swaying back and forth as she tried to stop his shrill wailing. He'd started shortly after they left, and although she'd run through the list of things crying was supposed to mean, nothing had been successful.

Erisi had said he was probably reacting to take-off and would settle once the turbulence did, but his cries didn't seem to be abating.

Her only comfort was that Erisi had taken Leia to Obi-Wan – or Trenneck, as Erisi knew him – once Luke started crying, which had kept her from being set off too.

'You're sure this is normal?' Padmé asked. Staring down at Luke, it was like he was an alien.

She couldn't do this. Why had she thought she could? She'd read so many pregnancy books over the past several months, yet she couldn't even calm her son.

Erisi turned back from the window. 'Do you want me to try?'

Nodding, Padmé handed Luke to the healer and watched as she rocked him gently, cooing all the while.

Within two minutes, he had drifted off to sleep in her arms.

Padmé let out a breath of relief at the blissful silence.

'Here you go,' Erisi said, offering him back.

Padmé held up her hands and took a step back. 'You keep him for now. I don't want to risk waking him.' Not liking the inquisitive expression on Erisi's face, she continued: 'Where were you from originally? How long have you been a travelling midwife?'

-x-

In the two weeks since they'd left Polis Massa, Padmé's mood had plummeted. At first, the need to act – to get to the clinic, to plan, to get off-world – had driven her forward, keeping her focused and moving. But now she had nothing to think about but the daily monotony of life on the ship or the dangers of the future, it had all come crashing back in.

Parenthood was something she was supposed to share, and navigate, with Anakin by her side. Back… _before_, she'd been excited by the idea of them bumbling through the highs and lows of raising a child together. Now, however, it felt like it was all low and no high.

Even in moments of peace or levity, a deep feeling of grief and sorrow was lurking only a stone's throw away.

It didn't help that the twins' health was a source of constant concern. Erisi had reassured her that they were growing well, but she couldn't help but fear that it wouldn't last. Even everyday things like feeding and spending time with them were hard to manage; how could she get through something truly serious on her own?

Seeing how good Erisi was with the children, Padmé had started deferring to her as much as possible. She, at least, could be trusted to take care of them correctly.

And the more time passed, the more she was coming to the realisation that this was her life now.

No Anakin, on the run, unable to care for her own children…

And with Obi-Wan and Erisi present, she didn't have any space to mourn.

The memory of what had happened on Mustafar was like an ever-widening wedge between Padmé and Obi-Wan. While they could discuss logistics together, talking about Anakin's death was out of the question.

Erisi was even worse. Since she only knew the cover story they'd told her, mentioning mourning to or around her would be downright dangerous.

Instead, Padmé spent as much time as possible tweaking and re-tweaking their plans when she wasn't the one piloting the ship. She might not be able to do much for the kids now, but she could make sure the galaxy was safe for them.

She was in the cockpit, taking a turn as pilot while Obi-Wan rested, when Erisi slipped through the door and sat down beside her.

'We're getting close to Eriadu now,' Padmé said. Erisi had taken a great interest in the process of piloting, so Padmé was used to her presence in the cockpit when the twins didn't need her.

Glancing over at her, however, she saw a concerned expression on her face. 'Is something wrong?'

'I'm not sure yet,' Erisi said. Then, quickly: 'It's not about the children. I came here to talk about you, actually.'

Padmé frowned. 'What about me?'

'You don't seem to be bonding with the twins.'

Her bluntness cut Padmé like a knife, and her hands tightened on the controls.

A few days ago, Obi-Wan had approached her to ask if anything was wrong, saying that he'd noticed she wasn't spending much time with the twins. She'd insisted that she was simply stressed and that it was better for Erisi to watch over them while they were recovering since she would be more likely to notice if something was wrong.

He hadn't seemed convinced, but he'd let it go, and she'd hoped that would be the end of it.

'We're bonding,' Padmé assured her, trying to hide her kernel of doubt. 'It's just that we had to leave home on short notice, so there are a lot of things I need to organise. When we reach Eriadu, I'll be able to spend more time with them.'

Erisi nodded, her expression considering. 'What if everything was organised – or could be organised by someone else? Do you think you would feel more comfortable spending time with them then?'

'I didn't say I didn't feel comfortable with it,' Padmé said defensively.

'No, you didn't.' Despite her words, Erisi didn't sound contrite. 'It isn't uncommon for new mothers to experience something called sadness of the womb, which is what I think might be happening here. It's – '

'Back on my home planet, we just called that mourning.' Padmé's heart was racing, and she forced herself to keep her fear from her face as she stared ahead, pretending she was focusing on piloting. 'I don't like to talk about it, but I lost someone recently.'

'I'm sorry to hear that,' Erisi said, 'but I've seen this condition several times, and I know how to recognise it. The symptoms are different for everyone, but some of them are having panic attacks – '

'I haven't had any.'

' – being in a state of constant sadness – '

'I'm in mourning.'

' – or pervasive worry, such as for the child's safety – '

_I have reason to be worried, _Padmé thought, giving up on trying to interrupt the other woman.

' – having a lack of interest in physical intimacy – '

_Anakin. _A wave of sadness hit her.

' – mood swings – '

Her mood had been fluctuating lately…

' – fatigue and trouble sleeping – '

Padmé couldn't remember when she'd last had a full night's sleep, but that was normal for new mothers, wasn't it?

' – and trouble concentrating.'

She had been trying to ignore it, but part of the reason she was spending so much time working on their plans was that it was a struggle to retain focus. There had been times when she'd spent hours puzzling over points that would previously have taken her minutes to decide.

Padmé let out a slow breath.

Ever since she'd left the clinic, something deep inside had been whispering to her that she wasn't normal – that she wasn't feeling as connected to the children as she should. She'd thrown herself into planning in the hope of drowning out that voice with background noise – of giving herself an excuse – but it had persisted, dogging her every waking hour.

'Do you really think I'm sick?' Padmé asked quietly.

'Yes,' Erisi said, 'but I can help you… if you'll let me. It doesn't have to be like this forever.'

Now that she'd acknowledged the issue, all the emotion and fear she'd been keeping at bay came rushing back in. Unable to speak for fear of crying, Padmé simply looked at her and nodded.

'There are some herbs and healing practices we can try. We'll have to wait until we arrive to buy the herbs, but we can start the practices now. I'll show you how to use the herbs and leave them with you for the next part of your journey.'

'Thank you,' Padmé managed to say.

-x-

They didn't reach Eriadu for another two weeks. While the deep feelings of sadness and anxiety were still there, Padmé was starting to feel better in little ways. Talking had helped, as had the breathing techniques Erisi had been teaching her.

Pretending that the person she'd lost was a childhood friend, she had spoken to Erisi about how she'd always thought he would be there to watch her children grow up, and they'd worked through some of what had happened that way. It was emotionally draining, and she had to be careful not to slip up in her lies, but it had been helpful so far.

With Erisi's help, Padmé had found herself able to connect more to the twins.

She knew it would take time to get to where she wanted to be as a mother. But, for the first time since Anakin's death, she felt like she could do it in time.


	3. Chapter 3

A pale pink and orange haze lingered over everything, giving the planet the feeling of perpetual sunset. Tall, elaborate buildings rose high above the ground, connected by long skywalks. From Padmé's research, their rooftops were landing pads, allowing the elite to come and go without rubbing shoulders with the "riff-raff" on the ground.

If she'd come here on a diplomatic mission, she would never have smelt how the slums on the ground stank of smoke and sewage. There were people everywhere, living in squalor and disease. Every time she saw a beggar on a street corner, Padmé wanted to stop to give them credits, but she couldn't without drawing undue attention to herself.

Politicians had failed the people of Eriadu City. To say Palpatine's reward money would be life-changing for these people would have been an understatement.

It was scary to think how easy it would have been for her to overlook their plight if she had come here as a senator, enjoying the views at the expense of the people below.

Once Palpatine was defeated and balance was restored – however long that took – Padmé was going to change that. The people of Eriadu City deserved better.

Padmé was grateful for the hood shadowing her face, and that the twins were safe with Erisi on the ship. Obi-Wan had escorted her out earlier to buy the herbs, but she'd agreed to stay to mind Luke and Leia – with the ship on full defence mode, although they hadn't told her why – until they could return with Kalei. If Erisi had thought it was odd, she mercifully hadn't said anything.

The door was programmed only to open if Erisi allowed it, and Obi-Wan had given her a crash course in manning the cannon in case she needed it.

Padmé and Obi-Wan had done what they could in the way of disguises, using mouth inserts to make their facial structure look different and contacts to change the colour of their eyes. It wasn't much, but it was enough that they shouldn't be identifiable in a crowd.

'The guards are on alert,' Obi-Wan whispered, his eyes narrowed.

Every few blocks, two guards stood at the corner, their gazes sweeping over everyone who passed by. Padmé tried not to tense or show any other outward sign of discomfort, not wanting to draw attention to herself.

There were so many people bustling around; there was no reason for the guards to single them out. But the hair on the back of her neck stood up, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

When they passed the corner, she tilted her head towards Obi-Wan. Her concern was mirrored back at her on his face.

'It's too late to turn back now,' she said quietly. This was their one chance. If they backed out, they would have to leave the planet, leaving Kalei behind. 'Maybe someone important is visiting and they don't want to risk trouble. Or maybe this is just normal security around here.'

It would have been nice to believe that.

'Perhaps,' Obi-Wan said flatly.

Keeping to the same slow walk felt like torture. The sooner they reached the park they'd chosen as a meeting place, the sooner they could leave again. But speeding up would be risking detection.

It felt counterintuitive, but in this case, the best way of getting back quickly was moving slowly.

Nevertheless, before long, they were entering the park.

Off in one corner was a copse of thick trees, their branches interweaving into a canopy. A flash of grey stone peeked through a gap in the leaves. As they neared it, Padmé heard the sound of flowing water.

It was exactly as Kalei had described it.

'I'm not sure if that's supposed to look comforting or foreboding,' Obi-Wan muttered.

She was leaning towards the latter. 'Let's just get out of here.'

Obi-Wan entered first, bending his head to get through the gap between the trees. His hand dropped to the place his lightsaber was concealed in his robes. 'Kalei?'

After a moment, he turned back and nodded to her.

Padmé followed him into the grove, relaxing when she saw a familiar figure standing by the crashing water of the fountain. With brown hair and eyes and a narrow face, she looked enough like Padmé that one might confuse her for the senator at a distance. The hood of her cloak was tangled up in her hair, as if she'd recently removed it.

She seemed to be in good colour and health, but she was jittery, her fingers tapping against her side as her feet shuffled on the spot.

Kalei's eyebrows lowered in confusion when she saw Padmé, but after a moment, her face cleared. 'Of course,' she murmured.

'It's so good to see you again,' Padmé said, stepping forward and pulling her into a hug. 'You're well, I hope.'

Kalei returned the embrace before pulling away. 'I wish we were reuniting under different circumstances. Please don't take offence, but this is the worst possible time for this. The Festival of Flames starts tomorrow, and a lot of people have come from off-world to celebrate. The city's security has been heightened until everyone leaves.'

'None of the timing in this is what we would have hoped.' That being said, it was a relief to hear about the festival. It seemed that the guards weren't there because of them after all. 'We're going to have to move quickly.'

'Are there any areas we should avoid?' Obi-Wan asked. 'Crowd cover would be ideal, but we don't want to get caught up in a brawl either.'

'I don't have much experience on the surface,' Kalei admitted, returning to her jitters. 'I use the skypads when I travel.'

It was agreed that they would return the way they'd come. They were already familiar with it, after all, and would be able to recognise if anything had changed.

'Don't forget,' Padmé said for Kalei's benefit, 'we need to make sure we look like we belong here – act natural.'

Kalei nodded, her fingers still tapping against her thigh. 'I can do that.'

Kalei, as it turned out, could _not _do that.

She was a constant bundle of nervous energy that seemed to return no matter how many times Padmé and Obi-Wan tried to calm her. It was odd; she'd never had this problem before while working as Padmé's decoy.

Then again, many years had passed since then, and they hadn't had much time to prepare. Being thrown into a life or death situation again had to be difficult.

At least her anxiety seemed to be confined to fidgeting rather than looking at the guards; appearing too aware of them was a sure-fire way to attract their suspicion.

But why was that? Padmé was hyper-aware of every guard they passed, although she was doing her best to hide it. If she weren't as good at hiding her emotions, she would have been watching them openly. Why wasn't Kalei?

Lowering her voice so only Obi-Wan could hear, Padmé whispered, 'Something feels off.'

He nodded. 'I know, but we can't stop here. I'm thinking of a plan.'

Padmé knew she was probably overthinking this. All her decoys had been trained in navigating dangerous situations. In all likelihood, this was a remnant of that – Kalei being too out of practice to keep her composure but remembering this, at least.

But her instincts said otherwise, and she'd long since learned to trust her gut.

They couldn't go back to the ship until they'd sorted this out. Her friendship with Kalei should be able to survive a false accusation, but if she ignored her intuition and they turned out to be right, the repercussions would be dire.

'To our left,' Obi-Wan muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

Keeping her head still, she glanced in that direction. Two of the guards had left their post and were walking into the middle of the street. All around them, the crowd parted to let them through.

Almost by silent agreement, Padmé and Obi-Wan picked up their pace, Kalei copying them after a brief pause.

After a few seconds, Padmé stopped and turned in a circle, frowning at the street signs as if she were confused. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see the guards walking, slowly but surely, in their direction.

Further down the street, other guards were doing the same.

'I don't know,' Padmé said, putting on the first accent she could think of. 'I'm _sure _we were supposed to turn already. Mari's house is off to the right, isn't it?'

'No, it's further along,' Obi-Wan said, following her lead, although his accent wasn't as polished. He and Kalei must have stopped when she did.

'If you say so. But you know she'll be mad if we're late, even if we got lost.' Keeping the expression of confusion on her face, Padmé turned and started walking again. 'They're following us,' she said softly.

There was no doubting it. Dread building within her, she asked Kalei, 'Who came to speak to you about me?'

Kalei started. 'Nobody. People have asked me about you over the years when they've found out I was in your service, but not since your messages. Why? Is there a problem?'

The whole time she was speaking, she didn't meet Padmé's gaze once.

'Kalei.' Padmé's tone was firm and unyielding. 'Somebody asked you about me, didn't they? They asked you to do something.'

'Don't think about lying again,' Obi-Wan added. 'Jedi can tell whether people are being truthful.'

Padmé knew that wasn't the case, but it seemed that Kalei didn't. Her shoulders hunched, and tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. 'I'm sorry.'

'Who?' Padmé asked again.

'The Supreme Chancellor. I didn't know what I was doing at first, I swear. He contacted me a few weeks after you did and asked if I would like to be part of a new medical program he wants to trial.' Kalei's face was beseeching. 'I… I felt flattered that he remembered me, let alone thought to ask me. It's been so long since I left, and apart from your messages over the years, he's the only one who has ever reached out to me.'

'And then the topic changed,' Obi-Wan said.

'Yes. He asked about you – innocent little questions at first – and I didn't see the harm in answering them. You only told me that you needed my help; I never imagined it was _him _you were running from. But then I started getting suspicious, and when I tried to change the subject, he threatened me.'

'How did he even find you in the first place?' Padmé had been convinced Kalei was safe. They hadn't seen each other since she left, so while they'd been in contact, she'd assumed Palpatine would look at her more recent connections first.

'I think he reached out to all your old decoys and handmaidens.'

Hadn't Padmé and Obi-Wan agreed that with the resources at Palpatine's disposal, even the medical clinic would find it hard to keep secrets from him? How hadn't she realised that would apply to her friends as well?

'You said you were thinking of a plan,' Padmé said, turning to Obi-Wan.

'I was.'

'Halt!'

Padmé spun. The guards who'd been following them – Padmé counted ten – had drawn their weapons and were starting to run after them.

'I think the decision's been made for us,' Obi-Wan said. 'Try to blend in with the crowd.'

The three of them sprinted forward and into the thick of the crowd, ducking their heads to keep from being seen.

It wouldn't last for long; they were only thirty metres from the landing yard. While they could follow the crowd and double back later, Padmé doubted it would work. The guards knew which landing yard they'd used now, so if they didn't make a break for it now, it would be teeming with enemies by the time they returned later.

They would have to leave the mob soon. And after that, they would still have to get to the ship and wait for Erisi to let them on. All without getting hit.

'Are you wearing a listening device?' Obi-Wan asked Kalei.

'I'm sorry. He made me. That's why I didn't ask… I didn't want him to...'

They were nearing the opposite edge of the crowd; they were going to have to make a break for it. Padmé drew her blaster as Obi-Wan pulled out his lightsaber.

Padmé was torn. She still trusted Kalei's intentions, no matter what had happened. If Kalei were asked to choose between Padmé and Palpatine, Padmé had no doubt she would be the one she gave her loyalty to.

But that didn't change the fact that she'd been compromised. They didn't have time to scan her to make sure Palpatine hadn't put any tracking devices on her. Besides, while Padmé didn't blame her for not giving her life for their secret, especially when she didn't fully understand the situation, it meant she could no longer trust her to come with them.

If it were just Padmé and Obi-Wan, she would have taken the risk. She would have asked Kalei to remove any devices she knew about and then done a more thorough search after they'd taken to the sky.

But it wasn't just them anymore.

'I understand.' It would be a lie to say she forgave her, but hopefully Kalei could take some comfort from the knowledge Padmé knew her actions hadn't been malicious.

Padmé thrust her hand into her pocket and pulled out some credits, pressing them into Kalei's hand. 'Stay with the crowd and take off anything Palpatine gave you that might have a tracker on it before you break away.'

Before Kalei could reply, she grabbed Obi-Wan's arm and pushed through the last layer of people and out into the open.

They broke into a sprint. From behind them, people shouted in alarm, and the red light of a blaster shot past them.

'They're firing through the crowd!' Padmé exclaimed, shocked at the realisation.

'Don't look back.'

They kept up their pace, zigzagging in the hope that nobody would be able to get a clear shot. The dingy gates of the landing yard were still twenty metres away, nineteen… There was no other cover, so they had no option but to keep going.

It was the tensest nineteen metres of Padmé's life, but soon, they were ducking behind the gates and peering back behind them.

The first of the guards had cleared the crowd, which was quickly dispersing. They were still a distance away, but they were approaching rapidly.

Padmé poked her blaster through the holes of the fence and shot at one of the guards. It hit him square in his leg, and he stumbled, clutching the wound. The other guards hesitated; they obviously hadn't been expecting their quarry to fight back. Now, they were the ones walking through the perilous open stretch of ground.

Padmé shot another guard twice in quick succession. The first bolt missed its target by inches, but the second hit her in the chest.

Two down. Eight still coming for them, charging forward now. There were more in the distance.

'Let's go,' Obi-Wan said. 'Backup's coming.'

Letting off one last shot, not even bothering to aim, Padmé lowered her gun. They ran, darting from one ship to the next, using the vessels as cover for the enemy fire that might be coming at any moment. Behind them, they heard shouting as the guards spread out and started searching the yard.

They were outnumbered, but they had the advantage of knowing where they were heading. It wasn't long before they were rounding the last corner and rushing to the ship.

'Watch out!' Padmé pushed Obi-Wan out of the way of a blaster bolt. It collided with a small vessel behind where he'd been standing with a sizzle.

Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber. Swinging it through the air, he stalked towards the guard standing down the walkway. 'Get Erisi to open the ramp.'

'They're here! I've found them!'

Trusting him to handle the guard, Padmé turned to the ramp and knocked loudly before standing in front of the place she knew the security camera was. 'Mockingbird,' she said. 'Mockingbird, mockingbird, _mockingbird _– '

The ramp disengaged with a hiss and started to lower. To her right, Obi-Wan was using his lightsaber to deflect the blaster bolts, sending them careening off into the ground. Rocks and dust kicked up each time, leaving small holes behind.

Another guard rounded the corner, adding her blaster fire to the first's.

_Come on, _Padmé thought. Her blaster was raised, but she couldn't shoot without risking hitting Obi-Wan or his lightsaber.

Every second felt like an eternity.

Finally, the ramp was low enough to enter.

'Get in!' she called, clambering in. The added height changed her angle, giving her a clear line of sight above the top of Obi-Wan's lightsaber. She started firing as a distraction, careful to avoid him.

He backed up, slower than she would have liked but as fast as he could while still protecting himself. When he was close enough, he turned and rushed onto the ship, hitting the button to close the door.

'What's that commotion?' Erisi asked, eyes wide as they rushed in. 'Where's your friend?'

'Strap the twins in,' Obi-Wan said as he sprinted out of the living area and towards the cockpit. 'Prepare for an emergency take-off.'

Padmé kept firing out the hole until the gap grew too small to aim. Only then did she relax and turn to take in her surroundings.

Erisi was on the other side of the room, putting Leia into her travelling capsule. As the door sealed itself shut, Padmé joined her, taking Luke and fitting him into his.

'We're clear!' Padmé shouted, knowing the ship was small enough that the words would carry.

Within seconds, there was a jolt as they lifted off the ground.

'What happened?' Erisi asked, sounding shaken. 'I thought I was supposed to disembark here.'

'We'll have to wait for the next stop,' Padmé replied, dropping into a seat as the ship swerved sharply to the left.

She hoped Kalei was safe. There was so much more that she could have asked: whether Kalei had somewhere safe to go, whether she knew the way to a passenger ship, whether she had family in the city. But she hadn't, knowing that the answers couldn't be allowed to change anything. They would have just distracted her.

Hopefully, the credits she'd slipped her would give Kalei options. She didn't know if her friend had brought any with her when she left for the fountain, and Padmé didn't want her to be obligated to go back to her dwelling. If she chose to, at least that would be out of choice, not necessity.

Kalei's absence would also make the rest of the journey more difficult. They'd been relying on the fact that she would be with them to help them settle in, as well as to keep them from having to visit local healers too often.

As the ship left the atmosphere and steadied, the turbulence dying down, Padmé opened Luke's capsule and took him into her arms, rocking him gently. If anyone had asked, she wouldn't have been able to say whether it was for his comfort or her own.

Sometimes, it felt like they would never get free of Palpatine's reach.


	4. Chapter 4

Obi-Wan bore left, zooming through the gap between two asteroids. A few ships had pursued them across the first few systems, but he'd managed to shake them a few hours back. Still, he continued flying cautiously, trying to be unpredictable so they wouldn't be able to find them again.

Padmé was in the passenger seat, holding a sleeping Leia in one arm while her other hand rocked Luke's capsule. She looked much more comfortable with them than she had before, although she still seemed shaken from the encounter on Eriadu.

Erisi had retired to bed once they got clear, taking her turn sleeping.

'They're growing so big,' he said, glancing over at Leia as he straightened their course.

'Mm.' Padmé smiled down at the girl before sighing. 'I'm sorry we didn't tell you when we first found out I was pregnant. We were so excited and wanted to share that with you, but we knew it would put you in a bad position.'

'I can't say I wouldn't have liked to know.' When Obi-Wan had realised how much Anakin had been hiding from him, he'd been floored. They'd been friends, yet Anakin had been keeping a whole double life from him. 'But I understand. I would have felt compelled to say something to the Jedi Council, and they would have banished Anakin from the Order.'

'It would have broken him,' Padmé said.

'Perhaps it would have been better that way. Better to be a broken Jedi than a dead S – ' Obi-Wan cut himself off, not wanting to offend Padmé by finishing that comparison.

Padmé shook her head. 'It would have turned out the same way. If anything, it would have made him more susceptible to Palpatine's influence, especially after the nightmares started. Being a Jedi meant everything to him.'

'Do you think this was inevitable, then?' Obi-Wan asked curiously. He couldn't believe that, and he couldn't imagine her believing it either.

She didn't reply at first, her eyes unfocused as if she were lost in thought. When she did speak, her words were hesitant. 'Not inevitable, no, but the possibility was there from the start. The traits that made Anakin so brilliant and effective also meant there was always the risk of him going too far one day. Once, he suggested…

'Well, it doesn't matter what he suggested. I had hoped being a father would temper that part of him – that giving his children a happier childhood than he'd had would help him heal.'

'What did he suggest?'

For a moment, he didn't think she was going to respond. Then, in a rush, she said, 'That a dictatorship might not be so bad if it were led by the right person.'

With a sigh, she added, 'It was a few years ago – long before he was turned. It was a spur-of-the-moment thought, but the foundations were there.'

Over the past few weeks, his anger with Anakin had started to abate, leaving behind only questions about what he could have done differently. This was one that he hadn't considered before.

Had the Jedi been wrong to demand such total control over and suppression of one's emotions? Justice had to be objective to be fair, and it would be wrong to use their abilities for selfish ends. But perhaps denying their emotions wasn't the way either. If Anakin had been able to marry openly, or if Obi-Wan had made him talk to someone about his childhood when he first became a padawan…

He hadn't even thought about it at the time. Having joined the Jedi Order at a young age himself, he couldn't remember his own family and hadn't grasped how important it was. Could all this have been prevented?

'Maybe you're right,' he said. 'Maybe Anakin needed to be part of a family.'

Something in his tone or expression must have alerted her to the direction his thoughts had taken, for Padmé rested a hand on his forearm. 'Neither of us are to blame. It feels like it sometimes, but the only people who were at fault were Palpatine and Anakin.'

Reaching over, he squeezed her hand, knowing she had to be feeling just as conflicted as he was. 'One day, we _will _defeat him.'

'One day,' Padmé agreed, moving her hand back to continue rocking Luke's capsule. 'First, we have to work out where to drop Erisi off.'

The topic had been a source of strife for them over the last few hours. They were both in agreement that they couldn't ask Erisi to stay with them. She hadn't known how dangerous the trip would be when she'd agreed to accompany them, and they couldn't ask her to go further without telling her the truth – yet the situation with Kalei had proven that they couldn't afford to trust outsiders.

Yet they still needed access to a healer for both the twins and Padmé. They'd considered hiring a new healer who didn't know where they'd started to help conceal their trail, but then it came back to the question of trust. Besides, with Palpatine on the lookout, constantly stopping at different ports would just be courting unnecessary danger.

'And what to do after that,' Obi-Wan said. Their discussions had reached a standstill on that front.

Padmé sighed. 'I'm glad we only told Kalei what we had to. If I'd slipped up and mentioned where we're going or that there are two of them… or even if I'd introduced you as anyone other than my partner...'

The weight of the disaster that could have befallen them was huge. It would have been easy for a casual gesture or comment to have betrayed them and undermined all their protections. 'But you didn't. We told her nothing. All she knows is there are two of us, and Palpatine already knows that.'

_Thud_.

Leia stirred.

It felt like he'd been doused with cold water. The back of his neck prickling, Obi-Wan turned, and his fears were confirmed.

Erisi stood in the doorway, her hair mussed and her eyes dazed as if she'd only recently woken up. Guilt was written across her face. 'I came in to see if you needed anything,' she said. 'I didn't hear much, just…'

'Enough.' Obi-Wan was torn. This would complicate things. He could make her forget what she'd heard, but it felt like it would be a betrayal of what the three of them had endured.

If he didn't, then when they let her off the ship, they would have to rush out of that system and hope she hadn't arrived early enough to realise Obi-Wan wasn't the children's father.

But how could she not have? And if she were able to put the pieces together, would they lose her loyalty? Could they even trust her around the twins anymore?

'Yes, not that it was surprising.'

Obi-Wan's eyebrows raised in shock. 'What do you mean?'

'It makes sense. I knew you were on the run from someone. And you're a Jedi, aren't you?' she asked, looking at him. 'I saw your weapon on Eriadu. I've never seen a lightsaber before, but it couldn't have been anything else. If a _Jedi _is running, the person who's chasing them has to be powerful beyond belief.

'The Supreme Chancellor would have sufficient influence.' She turned to Padmé. 'You're the one he put out the alert for, aren't you? Padmé Amidala.'

'You understand now why we're concerned about secrecy,' Padmé said, not answering directly.

Obi-Wan let the ship idle so he could concentrate. 'Where do we stand now?'

'Why is he chasing you? Did you commit a crime?'

'No, we didn't. He wants to take Luke and Leia due to their potential with the Force.'

Erisi nodded slowly. 'Then we're in the same place we were before. As far as I'm concerned, if you don't want him to find you, I don't want him to, either.'

'How long until the children and I will be safe to travel without medical aid?'

'You could do it now, but I would prefer to continue treatment longer to make sure your grounding is solid first.'

'You want to stay?' Padmé asked, surprised. 'Even though we lied to you?'

'You're my patient, and I care about your progress. If I leave now, you won't get another healer, will you?'

'It's doubtful,' Obi-Wan admitted.

'Then how can I leave?'

Obi-Wan and Padmé looked at one another.

'I appreciate the offer,' Padmé said, 'but after what happened on Eriadu, we can't take a risk like that again. I'm sorry; I will be forever grateful for your help, and I wish we could accept.'

'That's the only reason you're refusing?'

'Is it not enough?'

Erisi turned to Obi-Wan. 'I've heard that Jedi can read minds. Is that true? Do it to me.'

Obi-Wan was shocked. Most people were scared of Jedi and what they referred to as their "mind tricks". He had never had someone _ask _him to use one on them before. 'It's not reading minds, exactly. It's compelling someone to do a certain action, which could include telling the truth. Are you certain? It doesn't hurt, but most people find the resulting haze unpleasant.'

'I'm certain.'

His voice flat and dispassionate, he said, 'Tell me your true intentions towards us. Do you have any plans to do anything that we might consider a betrayal?'

Her eyes grew hazy, and her voice was monotone as she replied, 'I do not intend to betray you. I want you to evade your pursuers, and to continue to treat the woman introduced to me as Corina.'

It took a few minutes for Erisi's expression to clear and sharpen again. By the time she was back to normal, having confirmed that the experience had been uncanny but painless, Obi-Wan and Padmé had reached their decision.

'Erisi, we would love you to continue with us for as long as you wish,' Padmé said. 'But first, my name is Padmé, and this is my friend Obi-Wan.'

-x-

M'haeli was stunning. As Padmé lowered the ship into its atmosphere, she was met with the sight of vast plains and extensive mountain ranges. Erisi had suggested the planet as their next destination, stating that it was somewhere she'd always dreamed of visiting. Padmé and Obi-Wan had consented, reasoning that it was safer to choose a place with no connection to either of them.

Since the day Erisi had discovered the truth, they had stopped by an out-of-the-way outpost to get three sets of fake identification papers for each of them – one for now, one for later, and one in case of an emergency – and to replace their ship again. The Eriaduan guards had most likely reported the kind of ship they'd been chasing to Palpatine.

Before they'd left the outpost, they had finally given Anakin a funeral pyre on a grassy atoll overlooking a lake that glittered in the sun. His body had been perfectly preserved, but it had felt surreal not to cremate him until months after his death.

At first, she had been constantly on edge, feeling like she might shatter at any moment. Now, while she was still heartbroken, she felt more put-together.

She'd cried, but she hadn't wept.

He'd deserved better. But then many people did.

Staring out at the beautiful scenery, Padmé felt the hope that had been stirring in her chest begin to fan into a flame. After months in space, constantly fleeing and travelling from place to place, the twins were finally going to get the chance to experience what having a home felt like.

-x-

The several months they'd spent on M'haeli had been a time of healing for all of them. They had bought a small cottage, funded by the credits they had left after downsizing their ship, and settled into a routine. The twins were much bigger now, and no matter what happened in the future, Padmé would fondly remember N'croth, its capital city, as the place they'd said their first words and taken their first shaky steps.

For once, it felt like she could breathe, the weight that had been ever-present since Anakin's death lessening. It still snuck up on her on occasion, but those moments were becoming further and farther between.

Information about what was happening elsewhere in the galaxy was hard to acquire. They'd been trying to learn whatever they could, but most people on M'haeli didn't care about news from long-distant systems. That was both a boon and a hindrance, allowing them an anonymity that kept them safe while also meaning they had to make sure not to appear overly invested in Coruscant.

However, they had heard enough to piece together a general understanding of what was going on. While he was yet to openly condemn them, Palpatine had passed a series of laws restricting the influence of the Jedi, playing off the populace's general distrust towards them. Nevertheless, the Jedi were still fighting the clones, holding the line.

They knew it was going to get worse, but when Padmé had asked Obi-Wan if he wanted to go back, he'd refused.

Still, it was time for them to leave, as bittersweet as it would be. Padmé had started to view N'croth as home, and she knew she would miss Erisi's friendship and support.

But she was at the point where she could manage on her own. Besides, they still wanted to change identities one more time, cutting the last ties to their old lives before settling down permanently. It would be better to do so before the twins got any older.

They had held off until after the twins' first birthday, wanting to share the occasion with Erisi, but they couldn't delay any longer. If they did, they might never leave.

'Thank you,' Padmé told Erisi as they parted. 'We can't tell you where we're going, but if the day comes that we can be open about who and where we are, please reach out to us.'

They had told the healer she was welcome to continue on with them if she wished, but she had chosen not to. Instead, she planned to remain on M'haeli for several more months, exploring more of the planet than just the capital, before finding another patient to leave with.

'One day, I may want to settle down in one place,' she'd said. 'But for now, I like travelling too much.'

As Padmé and Obi-Wan boarded the ship once more, she didn't feel the sense of grief she'd thought she might. Instead, for the first time, she was full of excitement for the future.

-x-

Ben, Falynn, Link and Marri Botein arrived on Bakura a few weeks later. It wasn't the planet Padmé and Obi-Wan had initially chosen; they had followed Erisi's lead in picking a place without a connection to either of them. Far enough away from the central systems that they were unlikely to be recognised and busy enough that nobody would realise they were new, it seemed like the perfect place to disappear.

Ben and Falynn were teachers who had been born and raised in a small, isolated town amid the mountain ranges before moving to Gesco City for access to healing services when Falynn fell pregnant – or so the story went.

They would have to work, of course. Padmé and Obi-Wan's supply of credits was enough to sustain them for a long time, but Ben and Falynn's wouldn't have been. But Padmé thought that would do the twins good; while she never wanted them to experience poverty as Anakin had, she wanted them to relate to the common people in a way that even she had sometimes struggled with.

When the twins were older, Obi-Wan would begin to teach them the ways of the Force, and Padmé would tell them everything: the truth about their father, their past, and who they were: colloquially Link and Marri Botein, legally Luke and Leia Kenobi, and biologically Luke and Leia Skywalker.

From there, they could choose who and what they wanted to be. They might stay on Bakura for the rest of their lives as Link and Marri. They might join the Jedi Order as Luke and Leia, following in the path of Anakin and Obi-Wan before them. They might choose another path entirely.

She would wait only as long as she had to – only until they were old enough to understand _why _it was so important to keep up such a front. After all, secrets, lies and broken vows were what had gotten them there in the first place.

For now, subterfuge was necessary for their continued survival. But when the time came to overthrow Palpatine, victory would not be achieved through lies and deceit, but truth and transparency.


End file.
